The toasTEA insulated tumbler from Adagio turns tea making upside down

NEWS – How do you travel with tea?  Brew it up at home and have one cup in a travel mug to last until you get home again?  Constantly stop in at coffee and tea shops to buy over-priced cups of tea?  Would you like a way to brew loose tea leaves right in your travel mug?  You can do just that with the toasTEA insulated travel tumbler from Adagio Teas.

The toasTEA’s double-walled stainless steel construction keeps your tea hot for hours.  (Of course, it can keep it cold for hours, too.)  It has a leak-proof sipping lid with a spring-loaded cover that operates one-handed.  A stainless infuser basket attaches to the bottom of the sipping lid.  To brew, you put hot water in the tumbler, tea leaves in the infuser, screw the infuser to the lid and the lid to the tumbler, then turn the toasTEA upside down.  When steeping is completed, turn the tumbler right-side up to prevent bitterness from over-brewing.  You may want to remove the infuser before drinking the tea, but it isn’t required.

The travel tumbler holds 17 ounces and is sized to fit most car cup holders.  Its double-walled construction keeps the exterior cool to the touch.  And all parts of the tumbler are dishwasher safe.  The toasTEA is available in blush, charcoal, and lemongrass.  Adagio sells the toasTEA for $29.00.  Amazon also offers the toasTEA in all three colors for the same price.

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The toasTEA insulated tumbler from Adagio turns tea making upside down originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 3, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Here’s an automatic umbrella for your car

NEWS – Don’t make your car sit outside without protection it deserves from the sun, rain, snow, bird poo, and more when you can keep it covered with this automatic car tent umbrella from Lanmodo. Just put the Lanmodo car tent on the top of your car with the built-in weighted base, stand back, and press the keyfob remote to electronically extend the umbrella. The tent has fiberglass poles and can withstand winds of 30MPH. The Lanmodo car tent even comes in a version with a tripod style stand so you can use as a beach or patio umbrella. You can find more information and buy the car tent for $399.99 from Amazon.

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Here’s an automatic umbrella for your car originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 2, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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BenQ EX350IR Curved Monitor review


REVIEW – When editing photos or videos, a reasonably sized display with great color reproduction is really essential. I have always been a fan of the quality of BenQ monitors, but I have not purchased a new one for quite some time. When I was offered the opportunity to review one of their newer curved monitors, I jumped at the chance to see if they could keep me as a fan. Here is how it went:

What is it

The BenQ EX350IR is a 21:9 35″ Vertical Alignment MonitoCurved Monitor, boasting a  3440 x 1440 resolution.

What’s in the box

Unpacking

As you can see from the pictures below, the monitor and the accessories arrived well-packed and in a very large box that was cushioned in every way with styrofoam. The screen also had additional protection.




Contents


1 x BenQ EX350IR Curved Monitor
1 x System CD-Rom
1 x Power Cord
1 x Power Adapter
1 x DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort Cable
1 x HDMI Cable
1 x USB Type-C Cable
1 x Back Cover
1 x Quick Start Guide

Specifications

Size: 35″
Screen Area: 32.26 x 13.62″ / 81.94 x 34.59 cm
Panel Type: VA LCD
Native Resolution: 3440 x 1440
Aspect Ratio: 21:9
Pixels Per Inch (ppi): 103 ppi
Brightness: 300 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio: 2500:1
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 20,000,000:1
Refresh Rate: 100 Hz
Adaptive Sync Technology: FreeSync
Bit Depth / Color Support: 8-Bit (16.7 Million Colors)
Color Gamut: 100% sRGB
Response Time: 4 ms (GtG)
Viewing Angle: Horizontal: 178°
Vertical: 178°

Connectivity:
2 x HDMI 2.0
1 x DisplayPort 1.4
2 x USB (USB 3.0) Output
1 x USB (USB 3.0) Input
1 x USB Type-C
1 x 3.5 mm Output

HDCP Support: Version 2.2
Dimensions (W x H x D): 32.8 x 19.8 x 8.8″ / 83.4 x 50.4 x 22.4 cm
Weight: 22.93 lb

Design and features

The BenQ EX350IR Curved Monitor is a beautiful curved monitor that has a 178-degree viewing angle from each side. It is a 21:9 format that has a HD resolution up to 3440 x 1440.
The picture below shows the back of the monitor with the hole in the stand to pass the connected cables through. I already have holes on my desk to triage the cables, so I did not use this feature. You can also see where the stand with its triangular style platform connects to the back of the monitor. Ths stand can be removed, and an optional VESA wall mount transfer kit can be purchased separately and attached so that the monitor can be VESA mounted.

This angle below shows the tracks on the stand between the stand and the monitor that allow the height of the monitor to be raised or lowered simply by pulling it up or pushing it down. The tracks provide the necessary tension to keep it firmly in place. The visible spring that you see controls the tension when tilting the display.

This monitor has a nice selection of ports. (From left to right as pictured below):
1 x USB Type-C Port
2 x USB 3.0 Ports
1 x DisplayPort
2 x HDMI Ports
1 x Headphone Jack
1 x DC Power Input Jack


If you are facing the front of the monitor, the control buttons are underneath the bottom right side of the display (From left to right):
Button 1 – Power Button: Power On /Off
The next 6 buttons are “Control Keys or hotkeys” (Pressing any control key brings up a menu function)
Button 2 – Input Hot Key: Input Selection
“The Custom Keys perform as hotkeys to provide direct access to pre-defined functions. You can change the default setting and designate different functions for these keys”.
Button 3 – Custom Key 1: Picture Mode
Button 4 – Custom Key 2: Contrast
Button 5 – Custom Key 3: Brightness
Button 6 – Menu: Activates the Main Menu
Button 7 – Exit: Exit On Screen Display Menu
(For the record, I did not change any of the functions of the Custom Keys, since they worked well for me at the factory default settings)

Performance

I connected the monitor to my main workstation where many nights I work into the early morning hours editing videos and photos. (Note: Some aspects of the following pictures are purposely blurred).


In my testing, I worked with Adobe Premiere, LightRoom, and Photoshop, as well as PortraitPro Studio as my main editing tools. This monitor performed flawlessly. The color reproduction was great and extremely close to being 100%”true”. I made sure that I left everything as it was right out of the box, and did not do any color calibration. The added desktop space 0f 3440 x 1440 @21:9 is really great to work with, and this 35″ monitor still seems massive when compared to my previous 29″ monitor.


Here are some screenshots of the actual applications that I work with:




While I am not a gamer, I did test using a few gaming demos to see what they looked like on this display. While it may not be realistically visible in the pictures below, the colors are great from edge to edge, and I did not notice any kind of color bleeding or dead pixels in any scenario throughout my testing.


The refresh rate of this monitor works very well for all of my needs and for all of the applications that I work with. And since I work a lot with editing and rendering videos, that is a major help when rendering and utilizing “live view” simultaneously.

In terms of additional hardware functions, I also tested the audio output jack. The sound is very good and close to the sound I get from my external USB DAC. However, for my purposes, I did not find it practical to have the headphone cable draped across my desk from the bottom of the monitor. If the choice is to use the audio output from the monitor, I would suggest using a Bluetooth audio transmitter and receiver to make the connection wireless.

What I like

First of all, I absolutely love the size of this display. I also love the color reproduction and the refresh rate. The build quality is great and despite its size, this monitor is sturdy and stable. It performs very well for photo and video editing, as well as for watching movies and performing everyday tasks.

The only thing that could make me more overjoyed about a BenQ monitor like this is if/when I get the opportunity to test a 4K version. For me, the 4K capability would make a BenQ monitor like this the “above all” monitor for my use.

What can be improved

Since this monitor has a sizeable bezel, I think the design would work better if the control buttons are on the bottom right front face of the monitor. In my opinion, the design that places the buttons underneath the display where you have to feel for them, and either memorize their position or keep pressing buttons until you get the right ones is not practical unless there is at least a corresponding label on the front.

Final thoughts

Since I have always been a fan of BenQ monitors and their quality, I was expecting a whole lot in the design, build, and performance of this monitor, and it does not disappoint. While there is the issue of the location of the control buttons that I find inconvenient, that is as far as “MY” negatives go. We may all have a difference of opinion about a product like this, especially when it is a major part of the typical workflow experience. However,  I would not hesitate in any way to recommend this monitor. Just like with my previous BenQ monitor that I purchased probably over 12 years ago, I am a fan.

Price: $849.00
Where to buy: Amazon and B&H Photo Video
Source: The sample for this review was provided by BenQ.

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BenQ EX350IR Curved Monitor review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 2, 2018 at 11:00 am.

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Surfer Dudes are boomerangs for the ocean

NEWS – Surfer Dudes look like a miniature surfboard and surfer dude or dudette. These beach toys have been specially designed to automatically return to you when you throw them out into the ocean. This makes them the perfect toy to take with you on your next trip to the beach. Your kids (and even you) will have fun throwing them into the water just to watch them surf the waves back to you every time with perfect balance.

Surfer Dudes are made of ABS plastic and closed foam so they won’t sink. They come in a variety of colors and are priced at $19.99 each. You can order one from The Grommet or Amazon.

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Surfer Dudes are boomerangs for the ocean originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 2, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Air Vinyl Design Leather AirPod case review

REVIEW – AirPods have been out for the better part of a year now, and I’ve been seeing them in more places “in the wild.” There are, of course, AirPod cases and leashes and all manner of add-on products for the new Apple wireless buds. I was sent a Leather Case for AirPods from Air Vinyl Design in a camel brown to test. The cases are also available in Black, Red, and a Chocolate Brown.

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

What is it?

The Air Vinyl case is just that – a cover to fit over the AirPod recharging case. The inside is a smooth plastic that fits perfectly around the AirPods case, and a hinged cover fits perfectly into the flip-up top of the AirPods cover. Once it’s installed, it’s actually difficult to remove the case.

What’s in the box?

Just the cover – nothing more, nothing less.

Design and features

The cover is based on a plastic form-fitting overcase for the AirPods and covered with a thin, glove-soft overskin of leather. The inside of the case is the actual plastic, but the outer covering is pure leather, with its true feel and scent and wearability. In the few weeks I’ve been using it, I can already see the personality of the leather develop. There is a hole in the bottom center which allows charging with every Lightning cable I’ve used with it.

What I Like

  • Individualizes my AirPod case
  • Gives me a bit more grip when taking AirPods out or replacing them
  • Looks nice

What needs to be improved

  • Not really necessary

Final thoughts

I was perfectly happy with my AirPods with just the bare case in my pocket. My boss has a silicon case around hers, and I thought I might want a case, but then I thought “I’m not going to try and resell these.” Others in my office have their AirPods on their desk, but we rarely have them out together in a conference room or snack area where they might get mixed up. Not like phone cases or your computer or iPad. Usually, with a phone, I need the grip, and I want to protect the phone for resale. But, now that I have the AirPod case, I do like it and enjoy the feel of the leather. Would I buy it? Probably not. But I can’t deny it brings me a little happiness. I would love it as a gift.

The company also has vinyl stickers sized for your bare AirPod case for major cities ($7.99) and offers custom designs as well. I might like a Bull City logo even more than leather.

Price: $19.99
Where to buy: Air Vinyl Design
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Air Vinyl Design.

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Air Vinyl Design Leather AirPod case review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 2, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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